The Sydney Olympics: A win for public health

Abstract

The Games of the XXVI Olympiad, held in Sydney in September 2000, were the largest mass sporting event ever held in Australia. The local public health system had considerable experience in providing services for mass events, such as the annual City to Surf fun run and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. However, the challenge presented by the Olympic Games far outstripped these events in terms of the expected numbers of local and international visitors, the extended duration of the event (two weeks) and its high profile, which was accompanied by an intense level of public, political and media interest.